diff --git a/eZ/Publish/LegacySearch/LegacySearchFactory.php b/eZ/Publish/LegacySearch/LegacySearchFactory.php
index 1f6b01e..ada6bd7 100644
--- a/eZ/Publish/LegacySearch/LegacySearchFactory.php
+++ b/eZ/Publish/LegacySearch/LegacySearchFactory.php
@@ -8,17 +8,22 @@
 
 namespace EzSystems\RecommendationBundle\eZ\Publish\LegacySearch;
 
-/**
- * @TODO fixme
- */
+use EzSystems\RecommendationBundle\eZ\Publish\LegacySearch;
+
 class LegacySearchFactory
 {
     public static function build(\Closure $legacyKernelClosure)
     {
-        return $legacyKernelClosure()->runCallback(
-            function () {
-                return \eZSearch::getEngine();
-            }
-        );
+        try {
+            $searchEngine = $legacyKernelClosure()->runCallback(
+                function () {
+                    return \eZSearch::getEngine();
+                }
+            );
+        } catch (\Exception $e) {
+            $searchEngine = new NullSearchEngine();
+        }
+
+        return $searchEngine;
     }
 }
diff --git a/eZ/Publish/LegacySearch/NullSearchEngine.php b/eZ/Publish/LegacySearch/NullSearchEngine.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38f7027
--- /dev/null
+++ b/eZ/Publish/LegacySearch/NullSearchEngine.php
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * This file is part of the EzSystemsRecommendationBundle package
+ *
+ * @copyright Copyright (C) eZ Systems AS. All rights reserved.
+ * @license For full copyright and license information view LICENSE file distributd with this source code.
+ */
+
+namespace EzSystems\RecommendationBundle\eZ\Publish\LegacySearch;
+
+use ezpSearchEngine;
+
+/**
+ * Recommendation legacy search engine mockup.
+ *
+ * This class was created to imitate working of `ezpSearchEngine` which is
+ * responsible for breaking left tree menu in eZ Publish administration panel.
+ *
+ * @link https://jira.ez.no/browse/EZP-23860
+ */
+class NullSearchEngine implements ezpSearchEngine
+{
+    public function needCommit()
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    public function needRemoveWithUpdate()
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    public function addObject( $contentObject, $commit = true )
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    public function removeObject( $contentObject, $commit = null )
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    public function removeObjectById( $contentObjectId, $commit = null )
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    public function search( $searchText, $params = array(), $searchTypes = array() )
+    {
+        return array();
+    }
+
+    public function supportedSearchTypes()
+    {
+        return array();
+    }
+
+    public function commit()
+    {
+
+    }
+}
diff --git a/eZ/Publish/LegacySearch/RecommendationLegacySearchEngine.php b/eZ/Publish/LegacySearch/RecommendationLegacySearchEngine.php
index 284c6b6..54aaccd 100644
--- a/eZ/Publish/LegacySearch/RecommendationLegacySearchEngine.php
+++ b/eZ/Publish/LegacySearch/RecommendationLegacySearchEngine.php
@@ -84,13 +84,4 @@ public function addNodeAssignment( $mainNodeID, $objectID, $nodeAssignmentIDList
             $this->legacySearchEngine->addNodeAssignment( $mainNodeID, $objectID, $nodeAssignmentIDList, $isMoved );
         }
     }
-
-    public static function buildLegacySearchEngine($legacyKernelClosure)
-    {
-        return $legacyKernelClosure()->runCallback(
-            function () {
-                return \eZSearch::getEngine();
-            }
-        );
-    }
 }